Le Chauffeur
by armie santos
Summary: Hanamichi accidentally lost his mother's fave ring and he needed to replace it before his mother discovers it. The only summer job: be Kaede's personal chauffeur. Will this end up in another burning battle?
1. Volume One

**

LE CHAUFFEUR

Chapter One: Poor Kid, Rich Kid

**

Hanamichi was walking fast like he was in a walkathon; battling for gold. He was wearing a black jacket with its hood covering his head. He looked to the right, he looked to the left and then proceeded forward. 

"Fourty-two..." He continued walking in search for the house with a block number 42. 

Three days ago, he was not as tensed as he was today. He was making the best out of his summer vacation with his friends, hanging out at Danny's Fastfood Chain, playing computer games and checking out pretty girls around. It was a moment of rejoice as the season of no-classes began. 

Last week, he was cleaning his house to surprise his mother who would return from work. Hanamichi suddenly found his mother's favorite golden ring in the sofa, so he picked it. He was about to put it inside his mother's jewelry box in her room when Hanamichi had a call of nature. 

It was an intense challenge for him to have it released and it took him almost half an hour inside the bathroom, perching in the toilet bowl. When finally, it went out, he exclaimed so hard that he didn't realize his mother's ring was thrown in the toilet bowl. 

It was too late for him to rescue the ring for he had flashed the bowl already. No matter how he would wish it come back, it was far to happen. 

Fortunately, his mother didn't look for it for the past days or he's doomed. There's only one solution he could think of. He tried searching in jewelry shops across Kanagawa and when he finally saw something similar to the ring, he couldn't buy it for it cost, $400. 

He asked his gundam for money but no one dared to lend him for he had so many loans to them that he still haven't paid for. Then, he met Yuki, his highschool friend along the way. They talked about things until Hanamichi had mentioned his problem. 

_"I know a job where you can earn $400 in a month." Yuki said. "I wanted to take it, but I don't know how to drive." _

"Is that a car racing or delivery boy or what?" 

"You'll be the chauffeur of this Billionaire man, Mr. Shindou." 

Finally, Hanamichi stopped. He breathed a sigh of relief as a gold-plated digits of 4 and 2 appeared at his right. Slowly, he moved his head in the surroundings. His eyes went wide with amazement as he gazed upon the white towering Venesian bricks. 

He moved backwards to the black metal gates, double of his height. It was a magnificent mansion before him. It was like a Royal Palace, gleaming in ivory-white. 

"Knock! Knock!" Hanamichi banged the gates and a security guard in uniform came to him. "Yuki gave me this address. See..." He showed the piece of paper in his hand that had an address written on it." 

"Who's Yuki?" The guard queried smartly. 

"He's my friend. I'm the new chauffeur of Mr. Shindou." 

"Your name?" The guard asked him sternly. 

"Hanamichi Sakuragi." 

"All right." And the guard opened the gates for him. The guard had his name in his list of people to let inside the mansion. 

"Wow..." Hanamichi's mouth dropped as his eyes saw the gigantic white house with marble-blue bay windows. He was unconsciously walking along the cemented road towards the house, where vehicles pass by. 

When the redhead finally reached the foot of the short staircase towards the elegant oak-wood entrance double door, a man in a dark formal suit with a black ribbon-tie on his neck approached him. 

"The guard told me, you are the new chauffeur of Mr. Rukawa." The man said. "I'm Mr. Zenki Yoshi, the mansion's butler." 

Hanamichi was stunned in the mere mention of the name RUKAWA. "Eh?" 

Receiving no rational answer from the redhead, the butler's eyebrow lifted in sheer annoyance. 

"Never mind, just follow me." The butler ordered and Hanamichi followed with his mind travelling somewhere 

Hanamichi's brows knitted. It's Shindou and not Rukawa. Or... is this butler has amnesia? Or insane? 

They passed through the shining marbled floor with no single dust was seen. The white glass sala beds and chairs were fixed in the hill-inspired blue gigantic carpet on the floor. 

It was a never before seen palace in Kanagawa for Hanamichi. There were enormous clear mirrors on the wall, adorned with Chinese vases and plates. Hie eyes never stopped roaming around the house. 

Until the butler entered a mahogany door. There inside the room was a 24-seat amber-painted wooden dining table with a green marbled vase in the middle. Inside that held tulips and orchids in happy colors. 

"Excuse me, sir." The butler went towards the man sitting at one edge of the dining table. The man was wearing a gray formal suit with a silk black necktie, in perfect fit to his broad shoulders and toned muscles. "The new chauffeur is here." 

When the man glanced at Hanamichi, the latter gave him a pleasant smile and the smile was regarded. 

"Hanamichi Sakuragi, this is Mr. Shindou Rukawa, the owner of this mansion." The butler introduced Hanamichi, who was now standing beside him. "Mr. Shindou, this is Hanamichi Sakuragi, your new-hired chauffeur." 

Mr. Shindou wiped his mouth with the table handkerchief and greeted Hanamichi with an amiable smile. "And this is my only son, Kaede." 

The moment Hanamichi laid eyes on the young man sitting on the right side of table chair nearest to Mr. Shindou, shock and embarrassment mixed his feelings. _How... how could it be?_ Hanamichi uttered to himself. 

"Do'aho." Kaede muttered, his lips partially opening in each syllable and his eyes narrowing. 

"Kaede. Be nice." Mr. Shindou said to his son, keeping his patience... then he grinned when he turned towards Hanamichi's direction. "My apologies. How old are you?" 

"Nineteen." Hanamichi murmured. He was thankful that inspite of being stupefied, he was still able to lie about his age. Yuki and him planned about it. They made Hanamichi two years older since Mr. Shindou was very considerate with age. But will it be forever a secret, when Kaede is there to reveal the truth? 

"All right. Um, Hanamichi, my son and I are in the middle of our breakfast. Let's talk later. Wait for me in the living room." Mr. Shindou tapped Hanamichi's arm. "Zenki, please guide his way." 

And the butler left the dining room with Hanamichi. When Mr. Shindou looked at his son, Kaede was as silent as always munching very little slice of buttered croissant. 

"I told you, I won't let you ride your bike once more." Mr. Shindou began with no trace of joke in his face. 

"How sure are you that I'll be safer with a chauffeur?" Kaede answered in a straight tone, without looking at his father. 

"If that chauffeur would sleep while driving, then tell me immediately." Mr. Shindou continued eating his pancakes when Kaede spoke once more in a tone like he was talking to himself. 

"Nineteen... huh?" 

Mr. Shindou sighed. His son had always been stubborn. His close friends said it could be the effect of being raised without a mother. But, Mr. Shindou have had several girlfriends in his lifetime after his wife died ten years ago, and Kaede never liked anyone of them. 

"Kaede... Kaede..." Mr. Shindou wiped his mouth of any crumbs of food, then tapped the table once and stood up. "I'll leave you here, I have a meeting to attend to." 

"That's what takes all your time." Kaede suddenly pushed away his plate and it created a banging noise. While Mr. Shindou ignored his son and left the room. He's used of his tantrums. For seventeen years, he had been tolerating and spoiling his son. He gives him everything he needs, except giving up his work. 

Mr. Shindou is a Film producer with a leading company nationwide. Focusing in his work set him aside from deep depression over his wife's death. 

If he would stay in the house with his son, the memory of Rika Rukawa would only live to cause them pain and regrets. It's better that they become distant from each other or the thought of having an incomplete family would only ruin their lives. 

TOBECONTINUED 


	2. Volume Two

_NOTE: Yes, I am rewriting this. I love the concept of the stroy but I got bored with my chapters, so I intend to make it more interesting. I hope you'll like it! _ **

LE CHAUFFEUR

Chapter Two: Battle of Red and Blue

**

Mr. Shindou flattened his suit to prepare himself for a day in his office. With his italian shoes stepping in his marbled flooring, he went towards the living room to exit. 

If he didn't see a redheaded young man sitting in the sala bed, he would've forgotten about his new chauffeur, for he had several things in mind. 

"I'm sorry, I almsot forgot you young man. Your name again?" He approached the redhead who stood up for his presence. 

Hanamichi gulped. He hoped Kaede Rukawa didn't tell the truth to his father or his wish to replace his mother's favorite ring will remain as a dream. 

"Hanamichi Sakuragi." Hanamichi's eyes were directed towards the man's eyes, waiting for the man's rejection for his application. 

"OK. Hanamichi, you will be my son's chauffeur. He's only seventeen and he's quite stubborn sometimes." 

_Sometimes...?_ Hanamichi thought to himself. Kaede is stubborn only sometimes? 

From the sound of Mr. Shindou's mellow voice, he obviously had no clue about his real age. 

"Just drive for him to anywhere he wants. BUT, never let him take the wheel, understood?" The man's words were sternly said and Hanamichi wondered how could a very authoritative and handsome father like him would have an obnoxious son who looks like a fox? "I need to go now. I leave you my son, take care of him and... don't worry about your salary. You deserve to be paid. And um, I trust the one who recommended you to me. I know you'll do a great job." 

Hanamichi was half-smiling and half-crying as the man left him in a paradise that seemed to be hell with Kaede Rukawa inside. Mr. Shindou is such a caring father who only wants the best for his son. It reminded him of his late father. He's crying for; he's Kaede's new chauffeur? How would Haruko react to it? 

For goodness sake, he still had pride to take inside of him. But... the salary is something very stupid to let go. 

"Me? Hanamichi Sakuragi? The genius of them all?" Hanamichi muttered to himself with desbelief. 

Suddenly, loud and banging footsteps echoed inside the mansion. Hanamichi raised his head up and saw Kaede walking down the wooden spiral staircase like someone was chasing him behind. Kaede stopped in front of him and dropped his black Nike duffel bag on the floor that created an earthquake. 

"I will go to the sports plaza. Faster, do'aho." 

Hanamichi frowned and pointed a finger towards the white-faced young man. "Don't call me do'aho, kitsune!" Hanamichi's brown eyes showed nothing but deep seriousness. "I may be your chauffeur only for a month, but you have no right to disrespect me." 

Kaede moved towards the door, as if he heard nothing. "Pick up my bag, do'aho." 

Hanamichi didn't want what he heard. He would rather work in the farm under the angry sun to have $400 than accepting the fact that Kaede can order him anytime he wants for ONE WHOLE MONTH. The question is: is there really a job in the farm that would earn him that much? 

Walking towards the door while carrying Kaede's duffel bag with his hands, Hanamichi was in a mesmerized condition. Then. he saw Kaede only standing outside, like hovering for the clouds to fall down. When the redhead passed him by, they both shared a heated and blazing glare to each other. 

"Ahem!" The butler coughed when he saw Hanamichi standing too long near Kaede. "You are suppose to get the car in the garage." Mr. Zenki lifted a key with a transparent glass tube keychain. "This is for the blue BMW." 

Hanamichi gave the butler his frightening wolf stare, then pulled the key from his hand and proceeded at the back of the mansion with the duffel bag on his shoulder. 

The garage was exactly behind the mansion and it was all made of Titanium alloy. The garage had two floors and the lot was as large as a Basketball court. Hanamichi's eyes went as wide as saucers as different luxurious cars in different colors surprised him. 

Hanamichi entered inside and looked at each automobile. There was a F150 Ford truck, a silver Benz 2-door convertible, a shining black Porsche car and a red Jaguar sports car. Until a bluer than blue BMW car came into view. Hanamichi opened it and put the duffel bag at the backseat, then drove it in front of the mansion. 

He wondered how rich the Rukawas could be. Rumors are true that Kaede is indeed a son of a Billionaire. 

Hanamichi stopped the car right in front of Kaede. The butler pulled the backseat door for him like he was some kind of a royal prince in a royal chariot. 

"And this is your mobile phone." The butler told Hanamichi. "So Sir Kaede will be able to contact you." 

The redhead took the mobile phone with a heavy heart then drove on. 

The road was smooth and the weather was calm. Hanamichi was enjoying himself as he drove a luxury car. He felt like a real master of richness inside. 

He was fluttering in his dream when suddenly, a loud rock noise interrupted his thoughts. 

"What the...!" Hanamichi gazed at Kaede who was holding a remote control in his hand. 

Hanamichi looked back on the wheel, then noticed the mini-entertainment set inside. The audio/video CD player, the DVD player, the MP3 player were like a file below the dashboard. 

There was also a silver 5 inches television in front of the passenger's seat. Little did he know, there were also two other televesion sets at the back of each head rest and it was where the loud noise was coming from. 

Kaede was watching MTv. 

TOBECONTINUED 


	3. Volume Three

**

LE CHAUFFEUR

Chapter Three: Heated Lunchtime

**

"Should I park?" Hanamichi queried as he entered the towering walls of the sports plaza. 

"Park." Kaede answered in a low tone. 

When they had finally parked, Hanamichi stopped the engine and sat comfortably on the driver's seat. 

Suddenly, his eyes accidentally gazed at the rearview mirror and he was slammed with the glaring sapphire blue eyes of Kaede. 

"What?" Hanamichi reacted; as they looked at each other through the rearview mirror. 

"You're gonna have to bring my bag in the gym, do'aho." 

"STOP CALLING ME DO'AHO!" Hanamichi turned to face Kaede and squealed. 

"Do'aho." 

"Shut up! Kitsune!" Hanamichi angrily hopped out of the car and opened the backseat to pick up Kaede's bag. "Whatever!" 

The two of them walked towards the grand building. Hanamichi followed Kaede's way. 

As they went inside, Kaede dropped by an ATM and withdraw some cash, then they proceeded to the gym's locker room. 

Hanamichi placed down the duffel bag on one of the benches. Kaede sat on the bench and began wearing his rubber shoes. 

The redhead was about to leave the room when Kaede called him. 

"Do'aho." 

"What?" Hanamichi eyed him. 

Kaede took $5-bill from his wallet and gave it to Hanamichi. "For your lunch." 

Hanamichi didn't want to take it, but his stomach was really lurching and he haven't eaten anything yet for the day. Perhaps that money is a part of the priveledges in being a chauffeur. 

"Hey Kaede!" A raven-haired young man about 6 feet and 5 inches tall came with a big smile. "Are you ready for a one-on-one?" 

The newcomer was holding an extra-large cup of soda. "Is this your new chauffeur?" The man asked and Kaede nodded once. 

The man handed Hanamichi his empty cup of soda. "Throw it on the trash can." 

Hanamichi frowned. Who the hell he think he is? "You do it!" He pushed the cup on the man's chest. 

"What's your problem, huh?" The man aggressively reacted. 

"Do it." Kaede stared at Hanamichi coldly. 

"I'm a chauffeur, not your slave." The redhead told him. 

"Oh yeah." The man responded with all the confidence in the universe. "I'm Riko Rukawa. His cousin and I can tell uncle about your bad demeanor." 

Hanamichi felt like he was slammed on the door. Mr. Shindou had so much trust on him and he didn't want to destroy. 

Unwillingly, the redhead took the cup and throw it on the trash can, then left the locker room. 

"That's right, slave! That's the right thing to do." Riko boisterously laughed. 

Kaede hopped off the car, while a maid took his duffel bag. 

It was an exhausting day in the sports plaza. Riko and him had seven rounds favoring Riko by 4-3. 

Hanamichi had never spoken a word to Kaede since he left the locker room. From there, he ate at a Pizza restaurant as he analyze his situation. 

He had eaten so much pride in becoming someone's chauffeur, worse being Kaede's chauffeur. 

Finally, the BMW was parked in the garage. Hanamichi released his seat belt and suddenly, he noticed something left at the backseat. 

He took the red giant lollipop and read the beige-colored card attached to it. 

_My mum would always give me this kind of lollipop to cheer up. _

It's always blue because it's my favorite color. 

I assume you love red. 

-Kaede 

Hanamichi ran a hand on his semi-bald red head. Yeah! For no wonder, he loves red. 

The redhead hopped of the car with a smile. As he paddled his bicycle towards home, he was licking the sweet and sour lollipop. 

Yes, it truly cheered him up. 

tobecontinued 


	4. Volume Four

**

LE CHAUFFEUR

Chapter Four: My eyes are dry

**

"Be a good boy, Hana while I'm out." Mrs. Sakuragi held his son's cheeks and gave him a quick but real smack on the lips. 

It's their own way of saying I-love-you to each other. 

"Bye mum!" Hanamichi happily waved a hand to his mother, then closed the door. 

Hanamichi hurried to his room to put on his white shirt and denim pants. Then, off he rode his bicycle towards the Rukawas' mansion. 

Inside the mansion, Kaede was lying on a sun-bathing chair wearing boxer's shorts and unbuttoned Hawaiian polo. His beautiful eyes were covered by a dark eyewear. 

Five men were swimming exuberantly on the pool and one of them was Riko, who soon approached him. 

"Kaede." Riko sat on the next chair, beside his cousin. 

Kaede's right foot was being massaged by his maid and it relaxed him. 

"Are you sure you don't wanna swim with us?" Riko asked him with a concerned look. 

Hanamichi was watching them from the huge glass wall of the mansion. He couldn't hear them, but it was apparent that Kaede looked very sullen and Riko was trying to help him. 

"Maybe we can call some SEXY girls to come over to heighten up your libido." One of Riko's friends uttered to Kaede. 

"My dude here has a very sexy stepmum you can borrow. She'll surely make you a man." Another one said and Kaede was spanked with the word 'mum'. 

Kaede stood from his chair, ignoring the lady who was massaging his foot and left them. 

"Kaede, wait!" Riko called but his cousin paid no heed of him. "Look what you've done!" He told his friends. "We're here to make my cousin cheer up." 

"What did we say?" The first guy queried innocently. 

"Guys, you know how he mourns about his mother's death." 

"It's been years ago." 

"And he hasn't recovered yet." Riko continued the sentence. "Kaede never made friends since then. We're he's only pals." 

The four young men on the pool were all silent and guilty. Kaede was extremely in a pathetic condition. 

Hanamichi heard everything and it left him in a daze. 

"Do'aho." Kaede muttered. "I want to go outside." 

Hanamichi turned to face him. "Where?" 

"Anywhere." 

"You know, if you have no exact place to go, we better go home and rest." Hanamichi suggested with a bit of impatience as he drove the BMW car forward. 

"Do'aho." Kaede, who was on the backseat muttered, then put on his earphones and played an r&b CD in his discman. 

"Dammit Kitsune!" Hanamichi frowned. He endlessly drove along the streets. 

The road was fair and smooth, free of heavy traffic in a Tuesday morning. Hanamichi stepped on the break when the stoplight's green bulb illuminated. His eyes suddenly gazed at the rearwiew mirror and saw Kaede's deep blue eyes staring at his reflection. 

"It's a miracle that you're still awake at this time of day." Hanamichi gabbled, not withdrawing his stare at Kaede's reflection. 

"My eyes are dry." Kaede murmured while staring at Hanamichi. 

It was an instinct for Hanamichi to hastily grab the tissue box from the dash board and threw it against Kaede's face. 

Kaede intended to shield his face with his forearms, but the tissue box hit his face first. 

"You're an asshole, kitsune!" Hanamichi was frowning as he pushed on the gasoline and drove the car forward. 

Hanamichi scratched his head once, twice, thrice. He covered his face with his favorite pillow, laid sidewards in his bed, then turn to the other side... but he still couldn't get to sleep. 

Kaede's white-skinned face with fox ears and whiskers kept on multiplying inside his mind like tiny cells in mitosis. 

_MY EYES ARE DRY. MY EYES ARE DRY. MY EYES ARE DRY._

Kaede's low-toned voice vibrated in his ear, burning his eardrums. 

"DAMN YOU! KITSUNE!" Hanamichi finally threw his favorite pillow against his closet and screamed loudly. 

Kaede is bugging his sleep, bugging his night and bugging his mind. 

"Get out of my mind. Get out of my mind." Hanamichi shook his head like a coin was inserted to it. 

Suddenly, someone knocked on his door and opened it. It was his mother with sleepy eyes. 

"Hana, are you OK?" She asked with deep concern. 

Hanamichi nodded unconsciously. "I'm fine." 

Mrs. Sakuragi had been used of witnessing his son screaming at the middle of the night and couldn't get to sleep because of thinking too much about the girl he wants. 

"Don't think too much about kitsune, baby." Mrs. Sakuragi had a look of teasing his son. Her eyes said that here-we-go-again-Hana-another-girl-to-love. 

Hanamichi almost panicked. "No mom, you're wrong. Kitsune... it's-it's." 

Mrs. Sakuragi inched towards his son and perched beside him. She caressed his head gently. "Someday, you'll find the person really meant for you, baby. Just be patient." 

Hanamichi's mouth dropped. "But-" 

"Sleep now, baby. You'll be fine." And Hanamichi fell asleep as his mother caressed his head lovingly. 

When Hanamichi was already asleep, Mrs. Sakuragi kissed him on the cheek then whipered in his ear. "I love you, baby." 

tobecontinued 


	5. Volume Five

LE CHAUFFEUR

Chapter Five

Hanamichi cheerfully played with the portable entertainment set of the silver Porsche car as he waited for Kaede to appear in the mansion's entrance door. 

"Having fun, do'aho?" 

Hanamichi automatically glanced behind him, and saw Riko sitting in the back seat, his obnoxious face displayed with his squared jaws like Batman's. "You've never seen a dvd player inside a car before?" 

The insult stabbed Hanamichi's inside and it made him furious. His blood boiling to its peak. 

"Don't measure my patience." The redhead murmured with seriousness. 

Riko smirked challengingly. "Oh yeah? I wanna see you angry." 

Suddenly, as if an angel stopped Hanamichi's anger to burst, Kaede hopped inside the car and perched beside Riko. He's wearing his famous emotionless facade. 

Hanamichi and Riko were still sharing threatening deep eyes to each other. No one wanted to surrender. 

"Do'aho, I'll be late." Kaede spoke and Hanamichi remembered his job. 

"I hate Rukawas." Hanamichi murmured as he pushed on the gasoline and drove forward. 

Riko caressed his chin and stared at Hanamichi squarely like a murderer. The redhead was challenging his temperance. 

While the car was rolling along the smooth road, Kaede instinctively glanced at his cousin and saw his scary look at Hanamichi. "Hey." 

Riko eyed him. "What?" 

Kaede didn't intend to talk. Would it matter? He grew up with Riko and those sixteen years were enough to know him in and out. Riko is stubborn and doesn't want his failure to eat him forever. 

Along the way, Riko slipped out his feet off his Birkenstock sandals to freshen his feet. Suddenly, he stepped into someting smooth and silky. He ducked a little and fumbled under the front seat. He found out that it was a little royal blue wrapper with the brand lifestyle. 

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING IN THIS CAR WHEN WE'RE OUT?" Riko yelled at Hanamichi. 

"Nothing!" Hanamichi said, loathing the disturbance Riko was causing him. Inside, he was a little scared that they discover that he's playing with the VCD player when they're out. He didn't want them to inform Mr. Shindou about this or he's fired. 

"You're?" Riko said with a mixture of disbelief and disgust. 

Hanamichi looked at the rearview mirror and saw what Riko was holding. He'd never seen that wrapper before. It's definitely not his and he fought for it. 

"If I chew bubblegum, I throw my trash outside!" The redhead spoke with dignity. 

_Bubble gum?_ Riko boisterously laughed. "Bubble gum! Hahahaha!" Kaede was ignoring them. "This is bubble gum?" 

"What else do you call that?" Hanamichi asked, wondering how stupid could Riko be. 

"Slave, this is condom." 

? ? ? ? ? _Condom?_ It was a non-existing word in Hanamichi's vocabulary. 

"I know what condom is." Hanamichi lied. 

"Whatever." Riko switched his attention to his cousin. "Hey Kaede. Do you have any idea whose this is?" There was a rascal glint in Riko's indigo blue eyes. Kaede merely gazed at him. "Uncle Shindou." 

Hanamichi can't control himself from eavesdropping. 

"I can't believe uncle's hormones are still energetic." 

_Hormones? Energetic?_ Hanamichi had no idea what he's talking about. 

"I told you that's not mine." The redhead mingled. 

"Do'aho. You don't even know what this is. I won't doubt it's not yours." Riko uttered. "How innocent. I'm curious, are you really nineteen?" There was an obvious disbelief in his face. 

_I'm dead._ "Of course I am." He hoped Kaede won't speak the truth in this moment._ Not yet, kitsune. Not until I get my four-hundred dollars._

"Did you submit your birth certificate?" Riko asked like a skilled private investigator. 

Hanamichi was like sitting in a death chamber, his wrists and feet were tied. He's doomed. 

"He did." In the most unexpected time, Kaede said it. 

Hanamichi gulped. It's odd that Kaede didn't tell him and surely, he didn't tell it to his father also. But why? Why would the kitsune do that? Does he have another plan behind all these? 

tobecontinued 


	6. Volume Six

LE CHAUFFEUR

Sleep

Hanamichi was driving the car to return to the Rukawa's mansion. 

Kaede and Riko were both at the back seat. Kaede was asleep while Riko was listening in the rock music played in the stereo. 

The angry rain was pouring down the street and with the dark clouds above, Hanamichi couldn't see the road that much. 

Suddenly, Hanamichi hauled the car and Riko turned impatient. 

"What?" Riko muttered. 

"There's a flood... look..." 

Riko looked and was surprised to see the great flood. Several cars were stranded in the side because even a big bus was almost half-hidden by the water. 

"Shit! I have to be home by eleven. My girlfriend is waiting for me." Riko cursed. 

"Unless you can fly..." Hanamichi uttered that made Riko more mad than ever. 

"Men can't fly, do'aho!" 

"We have no choice but to stay here until the flood is gone." 

"Shit!" 

Some minutes had passed. Hanamichi and Riko started to get bored while Kaede remained sleeping... unconscious to what was happening. 

"I know I place where we can reside for the night." Riko suggested. 

"Where?" Hanamichi queried with a cute innocent face. 

"Just drive, do'aho." 

"Don't call me do'aho." 

The both of them had a battle of eyes and Riko was the one who surrendered first. He hopped off the car and opened the door of the driver's seat. "Go out!" 

"No!" 

"You go to the backseat because I know the place more than you!" Riko tug Hanamichi outside the car and sat on the driver's seat. 

Hanamichi had no choice but to stay at the backseat or Riko would leave him under the rain. 

Riko drove the car in full speed... against the hard pouring of the rain. 

Hanamichi perched beside Kaede... making sure that they have a half-a-meter gap from each other. 

"Foxes make me itch." Hanamchi said... addressing that to Riko and Kaede. 

Suddenly, due to Riko's imprudent driving, Kaede's head fell on Hanamichi's lap. Like in bull's eye, it hit Hanamichi's very essence and the latter quirked from the sudden tickle. 

"WAAAHHHHH!" Hanamichi jumped from his seat and shocked Riko. 

"What?" Riko violently reacted. 

"Shit!" Hanamichi looked at Kaede's head who returned to its initial position: leaning on the window. 

"Do'aho, if you don't keep quiet, I will pull you out of this car." 

Hanamichi hated the way Riko treated. He has no right at all. So like a rebel kid, he unlocked the door and planed to leave. 

When Hanamichi was about to push the door to open, it suddenly locked. He looked Riko who seemed to know nothing and then at Kaede whose eyes were all open and hidden a little in the dim light. 

"You'll go nowhere, do'aho." Kaede uttered. 


	7. Volume Seven

LE CHAUFFEUR

_Previously..._

Suddenly, due to Riko's imprudent driving, Kaede's head fell on Hanamichi's lap. Like in bull's eye, it hit Hanamichi's very essence and the latter quirked from the sudden tickle. 

"WAAAHHHHH!" Hanamichi jumped from his seat and shocked Riko. 

"What?" Riko violently reacted. 

"Shit!" Hanamichi looked at Kaede's head who returned to its initial position: leaning on the window. 

"Do'aho, if you don't keep quiet, I will pull you out of this car." 

Hanamichi hated the way Riko treated. He has no right at all. So like a rebel kid, he unlocked the door and planed to leave. 

When Hanamichi was about to push the door to open, it suddenly locked. He looked Riko who seemed to know nothing and then at Kaede whose eyes were all open and hidden a little in the dim light. 

"You'll go nowhere, do'aho." Kaede uttered. 

Hanamichi was too persistent and he went by his own will. He forcefully unlocked the door but when he was about to do it, someone stopped him. 

The redhead's back was pushed against the soft leather of the back seat. When he realized that the cause was Kaede's hand holding his, he was stunned. Kaede's palm around his hand elicited warmtm and comfort. 

Hanamichi pushed his hand away and rolled his eyes with a mask of fiery. 

"You're lucky redhead, you have my cousin to back you up." Riko said while driving the car in full speed. "Cause I'm gonna let you walk under the rain if you want to." 

Hanamichi would've spank Riko right at that moment, but he was too focused on his inability to leave the car because Kaede held him. Kaede Rukawa can't be stronger than him. It can't be. 

"STOP THE CAR!" Hanamichi yelled. He wanted to prove Kaede, Riko and himself that he was only shocked with the hindrance made by Kaede. Hanamichi wasn't defeated at all. He can leae the car in his own will and he's strong enough to do it. 

"WHO ARE YOU TO ORDER ME?" Riko answered with the same level of tone. 

Suddenly, Kaede held Hanamichi's hand once more and looked at him straight in the eyes. He murmured, "You are not going anywhere." 

Hanamichi's mouth dropped. Kaede, whose face was serious and goal-oriented and Hanamichi, like a stunned baby; looked at each other until Riko hauled the car in front of a small building. 

"Where are we?" Hanamichi took his hand away from Kaede again. He asked that question not because he was interested to know where they were, but for his attention to leave Kaede. 

"Motel, dummy." Riko pointed at the big sign in the building. 

Hanamichi had the face of a shocked gold fish. "Is this the place where people... do... that...???" 

"That's for couples. And we're not couples here, are we?" Riko replied and Hanamichi was silenced. 

The three of them left the ca locked in the parking lot while a security guard fetched them with umbrellas. In the reception area, Riko was frowning due to the only one vacant room for the night. Several people must've been stranded in the rain or there's merely several people who were itching for love. 

"Well I guess..." Riko took a deep breath as he looked at the interior of the only room that was vacant for them. It was definitely clean and organized but the mere problem was the only two beds located. "So who's gonna sleep on the floor?" Riko was staring at Hanamichi. 

Hanamichi wasn't saying anything but the way his mouth pouted and his chin compressed, he was like a little child who did not want to enter a horrifying room. 

"Are you expecting one of us to sleep on the floor? Who paid the bills?" 

Hanamichi wasn't answering. 

Kaede, as if he had no company, went straight to the bed nearer to the window, took off his shoes and socks and slipped himself inside the blanket and started to sleep. 

"Don't give me a face like that." Riko went towards the other unoccupied bed and started to put of his shoes and socks. "Sleep anywhere but here in my bed." 

Hanamichi crossed his arms. Hanamichi could easily throw Riko to the window but he realized he had no right at all to complain since he didn't pay for the room. Suddenly, he noticed Kaede who was sleeping peacefully in his bed. Kaede didn't stop him to sleep there. so Hanamichi unhesitantly joined Kaede in the bed. 

It was uncomfortable to lie beside your enemy and Hanamichi could feel it burning him. Why does he have to go through all that? 

Hanamichi turned to the side without Kaede and thought about his miserable life. He ahd to work for the Rukawas to replace his mother's ring. He had to eat his pride and be the personal chauffeur of the person he hated the most. 

While thinking about his life, Hanamichi fell asleep. 


	8. Volume Eight

LE CHAUFFEUR

Chapter 8:_ Hanamichi no Yume_

The dark night was freezing but warmth filled Hanamichi's entire senses as his lips caressed Kaede's equally soft ones in a very passionate lovers' kiss. 

Hanamichi's left hand went at Kaede's nape and massaged the vertical bone in it. Kaede groaned in response and even louder when Hanamichi's right hand joined the force to brush his hair upwards. 

Their tongues romantically swooshed with each other... treasuring the hotness of their mouths. 

_I love you. I love you._ Hanamichi muttered those words in his mind over and over as his lips and tongue were held by Kaede's adonis might. 

Suddenly, Hanamichi's almond-shaped eyes opened in a saucer size. The dim-lit room welcomed him and the freezing temperature brought by the motel's air-conditioner numbed his hands and feet. Beside him, lying on the soft bed was a young man with an athletically-hard torso. 

Hanamichi saw Kaede lying on his chest and the blue blanket covering half of his body. Kaede was wearing no shirt on and his milky white toned back was like a firewall beneath the snow. 

It was impossible. It was inevitable. HANAMICHI? Sleeping with KAEDE in one bed? They're enemies aren't they? 

Migraine visited Hanamichi but his headache was nothing compared to the lightness of his heart. 

_THE DREAM!_ It shocked Hanamichi as the dream went back to his consciousness. He's kissing someone passionately and that someone was only an inch farther from him. 

Hanamichi felt his briefs getting wet under his pants. He went quickly to the bathroom and urinated. As he did, he felt something tickling in his down-under. It's painful buit somehow... it was pleasurable. 

A knock on the bathroom's door disturbed him. Hanamichi had locked it so the person outside could not enter. 

As Hanamichi emptied himself, he loved the sensation he was feeling even if it was confusing him. He was too overwhelemed by that feeling and thought that he didn't care to open the door for the next user. 

It was Riko who was knocking on the door and he continuously banged it angrily... but he received no response from Hanamichi. 

_The Next Morning..._

Riko was brushing his hair with his own hands and flattening his clothes inside the bathroom. He occupied it for an hour to revenge to Hanamichi for not opening it last night. 

Meanwhile, Kaede and Hanamichi were alone in the room. Kaede was lying on the bed with his head on the pillow and he was listening to music with a pair of ear phones. 

Hanamichi was sitting on the bed and his foot was tapping the floor... playing a strange slow music out of boredom. 

"What's taking him so long?" Hanamichi glanced at Kaede. "I wanna go home now." 

Kaede was not hearing him... so Hanamichi leaned sidewardly on the bed and took one earphone away from Kaede and whispered in an extra volume. "WHAT'S TAKING YOUR COUSIN SO LONG INSIDE THE BATHROOM?" 

Kaede merely stared at Hanamichi's lovely eyes. It was like a pair of chocolate circles inside an almond. 

Kaede slowly adjusted his head on the pillow. "What do you want me to do?" 

"Tell him to go out there and let's leave. NOW." 

"Are you ordering me?" Kaede kept his stare on Hanamichi's wonderful mirrors of truth. 

"Yes kitsune! I am!" 

Kaede gazed at Hanamichi's hand that was tight in a fist near his hip. Kaede wanted to touch it, to hold it and to caress it. But he knew that he had no right to do so. 

With no other things to do but to avoid from plunging to Hanamichi, Kaede pushed himself off the bed and then followed the order of his beloved master. He knocked on the bathroom door and rushed Riko who in return obliged to his hurry. 

The three boys went downstairs quietly with Riko, all very conscious on his looks. 

"RIKO!" A surprise petite girl went near them and greeted Riko amicably. "What are you doing here?" 

"Oh hello." Riko responded with a friendly hug to the girl. 

"I'm with my cousin." The girl looked at Kaede with an obvious admiration and Hanamichi suddenly wondered how handsome the kitsune could be that he attracts girls easily. 

"Rhey is here. Wanna join us?" 

Riko smiled and asked Kaede to go home alone because he had his business with the girl. Kaede had no objection so he went straight to the parking lot... holding the car key. 

Slipping himself in the driver's seat, Kaede was stopped by Hanamichi's insistent question. 

"Hey, how about me?" Hanamichi asked with his lips pouting like a child asking for a lollipop. 

"If you want to walk by yourself then do so." Kaede muttered selfishly. 

"No way!" Hanamichi quickly went to the door of the passenger's seat when the engine was started by Kaede. Hanamichi hopped inside... sitting beside Kaede. "Where are you planning to go now?" 

There was no response. The raven-haired Rukawa drove the car on the road and stopped at the McDonald's drive thru without consulting to Hanamichi. 

When the lady on the speaker asked for his order, Kaede uttered, "One pancake meal with orange drink." Kaede didn't want to ask Hanamichi about his orders because he didn't want his care for that redhead to be seen in transparent glass. He knew what Hanamichi's favorite breakfast meal at Mcdo and he ordered that. 

Meanwhile, as Kaede drove to the next counter, Hanamichi was salivating on the picture of an omelette meal... it was his favorite but unfortunately he had no money on his pocket. 

When Kaede received his orders, he paid for it. He gave Hanamichi the omelette meal and the hot chocolate drink. 

"That's my favorite!" Hanamichi exclaimed but when he remembered that it came from Kaede, his mood changed. "I'm not hungry." 

"Don't be too proud." Kaede said as he parked the car on a vacant place in frony of the fast food chain. 

"I'm not proud, I just... hate eating what you give me." 

Kaede wore a cold facade. It hurt him that Hanamichi didn't appreciate what he bought. 

"I know you're hungry." 

"I'm not." Hanamichi's stomach was lurching. 

"That's a bonus in your salary." 

When Hanamichi heard it, he swiftly grabbed the styrofore and the chocolate drink. He muched it with crave that he quickly sipped on the oozing hot chocolate drink and it burnt his tongue. 

"Ouch!" Hanamichi reacted and Kaede was stunned. He didn't want to see Hanamichi getting hurt. Kaede took the chocolate drink and tried to swirl the cup on his hand and blew on it softly. 

"I'm thirsty." Hanamichi muttered and Kaede was itching to help him... so he offered his orange drink instead. 

Hanamichi shook his head. "I don't take cold drinks in the morning. It gives me tummy aches." 

Kaede blew on the chocolate drink over and over hoping to cool it as soon as possible. When he thought the blowing was enough, he sipped on the chocolate drink to test it. Unfortunately, it burnt his tongue also so he continued cooling it. 

Finally, when the chocolate was no longer too hot to drink, Kaede handed it to Hanamichi. 

"Thanks." Hanamichi said and drank his chocolate drink. 


	9. Volume Nine

LE CHAUFFEUR

"I'm surprised. You're not sleeping right now." Hanamichi said, as he sipped on his warm coffee while Kaede drove the car. 

Kaede ignored him. 

"Here." Hanamichi acted like a concerned citizen and offered Kaede his food. "Maybe you're still hungry." 

Kaede was pleased and when he was about to take a bite on the food, Hanamichi pulled it away and munched on it instead. 

It was a rush hour and vehicles crowded the roads. Boredom visited Hanamichi and it ignited his curiosity. He opened the car cabinet, tuned from one radio station to another, checked the CDs and even fumbled under the passenger's seat where he was perched. 

There he found a gay-oriented European magazine. 

"What's this?" Hanamichi frowned and had a glimpse on pictures of naked guys before Kaede seized it from him. 

"That's out of your business, do'aho!" 

"Give it back to me!" Hanamichi fought for it but Kaede did everything to take the magazine away from him. "You're still young for this." 

"And you're too old?" Hanamichi justified. 

Insistent beeping of cars clouded their ears and Kaede exerted extra effort in driving and keeping the magazine away from Hanamichi's eyes. 

"Is that yours, huh?" Hanamichi threatened. "Are you gay?" 

Kaede didn't say anything. 

Suddenly, Hanamichi plunged into Kaede and fought to take a hold of the magazine. They had a wrestling until the driver of the car behind them lost his patience and went down to check on them. 

"Hey! The traffic is moving." The old man knocked on the window. 

Hanamichi opened the window and yelled at the man. "This guy is gay!" He was apparently pointing at Kaede. "He's gay! Yuck!" 

The old man was dumbfounded. 

Kaede suddenly hugged Hanamichi with such intimacy to rival with famous Hollywood sweethears on screen. "I'm just tickling my boyfriend." He said and started tickling Hanamichi on the waist. "See? He's so cute when he squirms." Then Kaede immediately closed the window and sped off. 

"I hate you! I hate you! I hate you!" Hanamichi punched him. "You're making me a gay! I'm not like you!" 

Kaede parked his car on a nearby carpark of a supermarket then in a spark... the world stopped. 

Their soft lips joined and Kaede first tasted Hanamichi. 

It lasted for seconds. No one moved. Their lips remained together. 

Hanamichi seemed to have flown into the paradise. He was floating above the clouds and the warmth from the sun surrounded him. 

Kaede released his tongue and simultaneously, Hanamichi opened his mouth for it to enter him. 

Their tongues danced with each other pretty well. Their saliva mixed and they both tasted their joined sweetness. 

Hanamichi tasted so sweet in Kaede's tongue. 

Their lips parted gently. Their eyes were stuck on each other. Hanamichi's hands around Kaede's neck while Kaede's arms wrapped around Hanamichi's waist and hip. 

Hanamichi touched Kaede's cheek and pulled it towards to him... then plunged his delicate lips into it. 

"If anyone, just one, knew about this. I would kill you." Hanamichi warned when Kaede's car stopped right in front of Hanamichi's house. 

Then Hanamichi hopped out of the car. He had been squeezing his brain... hoping that the memory of those kisses would vanish instantly. But it never did. 

As Kaede drove to his residence, he touched his lips and cherished the after taste of a very long and passionate kiss with the very adorable Hanamichi. 

He never loved the taste of his own lips until that kiss. 

He could still taste Hanamichi's saliva... the warmth of Hanamichi's tongue and its grace as it lavished with him. 

Kaede swore it is the first but not the last. 

He would do everything to have an another round. Even if it means a big bang risk. 

to-be-continued- 


End file.
